Closings by Another Name

On Friday, March 21, The Chicago Board of Education announced that it would fire every single adult in three of Chicago’s schools and hand over management of the schools to the Academy for Urban School Leadership—a politically connected private management organization with close ties to Board President David Vitale. Calling this practice “Turnaround,” the Board claims it will help students. But studies show otherwise. This is an attack on Black schools that continues the assault carried out by CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett last year, when she closed fifty schools (claiming they were the last closings for at least five years).

Calling the turnarounds, “a slap in the face to those of us who are attempting to negotiate for more resources, collaboration and support throughout our district,” CTU President Karen Lewis called for us to step up and defend our schools. “This is nothing more than school closings by another name,” said President Lewis. “After closing 50 schools, now we find three campuses more on the chopping block while the mayor continues his televised propaganda campaign of promoting these disastrous policies.”

Stand with these schools by signing up to bear witness at one of the hearings mandated by law for each affected school. Our schools need every voice to ring out for them.